03.30.90

Page 1

VOL. 34, NO. 13

Friday, March 30,1990

F ALL RIVER, MASS.

AT MEDICAL ETHICS symposium, from left, Father Mark R. Hession of S1. Anne's Hospital ethics committee, Dr. John Delfs, Bishop Daniel A. Cronin, Curtis P. Wilkins and Father Albert Moraczewski, a.p. Right, pane-

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lists Father Moraczewski, Dr. Delfs, Lorraine Silveira, RN, and Dr. Makolm MacDonald discuss case studies. (Hickey photos)

Symposium addresses ethics at the end of life By Marcie Hickey Last year, a Texas family approached Father Albert Moraczewski, O.P., Houston regional director of the Pope John XXIIl Medical-Moral Research and Education center, for advice regarding their daughter. In her early 20s, she had been injured in a car accident and released from the hospital after her apparent recovery. However, a short time later she suffered a seiz-

ure and was unconscious when readmitted to the hospital. After several weeks du'ring which she never regained consciousness, she was weaned from a respirator and fed through a stomach tube. She was diagnosed to be in a persistent vegetative state, with virtually no chance of recovery. Her parents faced an agonizing decision, said Father Moraczewski, among speakers at a March 20 symposium on Ethics at the End of Life sponsored by the ethics and

physicians' education committees of St. Anne's Hospital, Fall River. Should they continue their daughter's nutrition through the stomach tube, preserving her indefinitely in an unconscious state, or should they have the tube removed and permit her to die? Their dilemma, said the priest, is typical of cases· involving the question of provision of nutrition and hydration to the permanently unconscious, a major topic of discussion <luring the symposium.

The day-long program at White's of Westport was attended by Bishop Daniel A. Cronin, clergy of the diocese, pastoral care workers, hospital and nursing home administrators, medical professionals and social workers. Among prime supporters of the event was t~b1shop, to whom issues of medical morality have been of continued interest. The bishop's 1950s doctoral dissertation on the subject was recently republished by the Pope John

XXlll Center in Braintree in light of increasing interest in ethical controversies surrounding prolongation of human life. Entitled "The Moral Law in Regard to Ordinary and Extraordinary Means of Conserving Life," the dissertation is a study of the views of theologians over the past seven centuries on the morality of preserving life in the case of patients whose condition is incurable. Turn to Page Six

Cardinal Bernardin discusses role of Catholic politicians WASHINGTON (CNS)-Cath- pro-abortion - collides directly could hardly have stated their prin- firmly committed to the position olic politicians who recognize "the with this moral teaching," he said. ciples any differently." that public officials who recognize evil of abortion" must work to '''In this specific judgment of moral "In accord with the bishops' the evil of abortion have a respon"limit its extent," but those who and legal precepts, the bishops statement," he continued, "I am sibility to limit its extent, to work are "personally ... but not pub- _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _•• licly opposed" to it are conducting their public role in "unacceptable" fashion, Cardinal Joseph L. Bernardin of Chicago said March 20. other honors, including the 1989 By Catholic News Service "In multiple ministries of word, For the church, though, "moral U.S. Catholic Award for further- song and suffering, Sister Bowpersuasion, not punitive measures" Sister Thea Bowman, the ing the cause of women in the man has shown church and world will prove most effective in hangranddaughter of a slave, last Sun- church and the recently - formed alike a face of Christ both black dling disagreement, he told about day became the first black Ameri- Sister Thea Bowman Black Cath- and female," Holy Cross Father 500 people in Washington. " can to win the University of Notre . olic Educational Foundation. The Edward Malloy, Notre Dame presThe cardinal, former chairman Dame's Laetare Medal. foundation will aid black students ident, said in announcing the award of the National Conference of She adds the recognition to many at all levels of education. Turri to Page Seven' Catholic Bishops' Committee for Pro-Life Activities, discussed "The Consistent Ethic of Life After Webster." The speech was sponsored by Woodstock Theological Center at Georgetown University. In the Webster decision handed down last summer the U.S. Supreme Court upheld portions of a law limiting abortions in Missouri. The ruling gave abortion foes hope of enacting state restrictions elsewhere. . In discussing politicians and abortion, the cardinal cited the U.S. bishops' November 1989 statement that declared that "no Catholic can responsibly take a 'pro-choice' stand when" the 'choice' in question involves the taking of innocent human life." "Because all directly intended eNS pbolo abortions are judged immoral in Catholic teaching, a pro-choice Sister Bowman receives communion (rom Archbishop Marino at St. Michael's College public policy - which, in effect, is. Mass last October

Laetare Medal to Sister Thea Bowman

for its prevention, and to protect unborn life." The cardinal said he was applying his "personal interpretation" of the bishops' November s!atement. "The position of a public figure who is personally opposed to abortion, but not publicly opposed in terms of any specific ch'oices, is an unacceptable fulfillment of a public role," he said. When dealing with disagreement, however, "I believe that the church can be most effective in the public debate on abortion through moral persuasion, not punitive measures," he said. Acknowledging that he cannot spell out tactics to be used in all cases, he said that "moral consisten<:y requires that personal conviction be translated into sollie public actions in order to validate the personal view." "Moreover, all public officials should be held accountable for their positions, not only Catholics," he said. He said he is "also firmly convinced that all Catholics are bound by the moral principle prohibiting directly intended abortion," "However, many Catholics, politicians and ordinary citizens, will disagree on strategies of implementation to lessen and prevent abortions," he said. During a question-and-answer Turn to Page Six


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03.30.90 by The Anchor - Issuu